


Age of Slayers

by euratowel



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Torture, Conflict of Interests, Gen, Hypocritical Buffy, Internal Conflict, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Vampire Slayer(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 15:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15975425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euratowel/pseuds/euratowel
Summary: Buffy is forty and has been retired for ten years, but when someone starts killing slayers, the gang reaches out to her for help.  When she faces Kiara, the one called to balance the magic by killing the slayers, she is beaten to the brink of death. As she heals, Buffy recognizes the same loneliness in Kiara she had when she was the only slayer. With Angel, Giles, and Willow's help (with an assist from the Amazing Jonathan), Buffy plans to fulfill her destiny as the one true slayer by deactivating the rest of the slayers. Will she be powerful enough alone to defeat Kiara?





	Age of Slayers

When Buffy opened the door, she expected her Amazon order of new socks to be waiting for her. Instead, Xander stood on her porch, a patch over his right eye and an 'aw shucks' look on his face.

"Miss me?"

Buffy crossed her arms and frowned. She really wanted those socks.

Xander grinned, raising his eyebrows. His hairline had receded and his belly puffed out from his navy blue suit. He carried a briefcase in his right hand and in his left, he held a colorful pamphlet.

"You a Jehovah's Witness now?" asked Buffy.

"I tried but they thought the eye patch was a bit off-putting for new recruits."

She could not control the smile rising on her lips. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight. He dropped his briefcase and hugged her back.

"I missed you," he whispered.

Buffy pulled him closer and he groaned.

"Not so tight, Buffster. You'll break me." They pulled apart and she furrowed her brow, touching his chin.

"Sorry. I don't get much company."

Xander rolled his eyes over her. "You have obviously stayed in great shape."

"I thought you preferred my sister's shape," said Buffy with a smirk.

Xander looked away, his face flushed, his lips pressed together.

"I'm kidding," said Buffy. "Dawn is lucky to have you. She tells me that all the time."

Xander met her smile with a chuckle. "Can we talk inside?"

"The Jehovah's Witnesses still after you?"

"I wish it was that simple."

#

A look of horror blanketed Xander's face as he took in her place. It had been a long time since she had seen her home through someone else's eyes. She was never a neat freak, but now her house looked like the beginnings of a hoarder. Open boxes of clothes, budding like flowers, littered the living room. Ungraded papers from her students covered the dusty coffee table and sofa. Her dining room, which served as her training room, reeked from her recent workout. The punching bag shifted in the stale air.

Xander never was one who could hide what he was thinking. She returned his disapproving stare and he shrugged.

"Place looks great."

"My cleaning lady has the day off."

"More like the year," he muttered.

"Am I going to regret letting you in?"

He nodded. "I guarantee it."

"I made some tea. You want some?"

"Great," said Xander "Mind if I use the little boy's room? It's a hike getting up here."

"Sure. One place a gal always keeps clean is her bathroom."

Before heading to the kitchen, Buffy stared at him trying to remember the last time she saw him. She wondered if she should have told Dawn that he should not come. Not one person from the Council or the Slayers had contacted her in years. Dawn was her only connection to that world. It was what Buffy wanted. Gazing out her kitchen window, she saw hummingbirds fluttering around the bowl of sugar she had left for them. She wanted to sit in her wicker chair, drink her tea and watch the birds. This place was her peace and it had been for years. A sick feeling in her stomach told her it was ending.

Buffy returned to the living room and placed the tea down. Xander came out of the bathroom adjusting his eye patch.

"You ever think of getting a glass eye?" she asked.

"And ruin my pirates outfit for Halloween? Willow tried a spell to heal me, but it just made my other eye turn white and itch like crazy."

At the mention of Willow's name, Buffy's heart tightened in her chest. They had not split on the best of terms. Willow had wanted her to stay and help the other slayers. Buffy had left something Willow never liked. At least Buffy had told her face to face this time she was leaving. She had not simply disappeared.

"How is Willow?"

Xander picked up his tea and blew across the rim. He sniffed it.

"She's good. You know Willow."

Buffy looked down.

"Come on, Buff. You're the one who told us to stay away."

It was true. She had grown tired of it all. She was almost thirty when it had hit her. She remembered the peacefulness after she had stopped Glory, the bliss she experienced in her gift of death. When Willow pulled her back, she resented it. Even though she came to terms with those feelings, she wanted to return to the heaven they had ripped from her. There were plenty of slayers now. They did not need her. Willow and Faith could lead them. Even Xander with his new military job could help. They had all the resources they needed to protect the innocent as she had done her whole life. 

Staying away from it meant exiling herself. When she tried fading into the background, they always pulled her back and made her lead. She had to step away completely. It was not something new for her. She had left before to escape the pain and the pressure. This time she did not leave without saying goodbye as she had done when she had killed Angel. She would do it right this time. With Giles help, they found a quiet spot for her retirement. A nice little place between San Diego and Los Angeles. The Watcher's Council even pulled a few strings to get her a job at the Old Mission at San Luis Rey. She worked in the retreat center helping others with their spiritual healing and teaching kids from the local middle school. She knew pain and with the help of the Friars, she felt useful in a whole new way. Plus, the gardens were beautiful and there were moments where she felt that peace she had in death.

In the beginning, Faith had called a few times. But as the years passed, the calls became more infrequent and then stopped completely. Now, she was forty and it had been five years since she had heard from any of them, unless you counted status updates. The only news she got about any of them came from Dawn and her Facebook stalking. Willow had become quite the popular Wicca and she even had a website that sold gemstones and spell kits to the masses. It added much needed funding. The Watchers Council had disbanded several years ago. Willow and Faith were their own council now.

Xander stared at her over his teacup, his pinky sticking out. 

"I know I told you to stay away," she said. "I just couldn't do it anymore."

"I know." He placed his cup on the table. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't necessary."

Buffy's mouth hung open.

"I don't mean it that way," said Xander. He fidgeted in his seat. "I rehearsed everything I was going to say and I still screwed it up."

Buffy smiled. "It's ok. Let's just pretend we said all the right things so this uncomfortableness can go away."

He nodded.

Buffy reached over and took his hand. "You're here because the world is ending?"

Xander frowned. "We're hoping to nip it in the bud."

"So what is it? Hellmouth reopen? Willow go dark again?"

Xander's face grew stoic. "Someone is killing the slayers."

#

Willow's eyes widened when she saw Buffy. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her and squeezed tight. Buffy felt the power emanating from Willow. It was like the air before a lightning storm.

"You came," said Willow letting out a huge breath.

They pulled apart and Buffy noticed a long streak of black in Willow's auburn hair. It made her shiver.

"You like?" asked Willow with a flip of her hair. 

"I don't like dark colors on you. Bad memories and all."

Willow forced a laugh. "You're not too far off."

"Just part of you is evil?"

"No, all good. Promise. I did it as a reminder so I wouldn't lose my way." She stroked the black hair; it glistened under her touch. "It's magic. I didn't trust my stylist."

Buffy waved her hand at her. "Oh, sure. Magic is way better than split ends."

Willow grinned. "I see your sarcastic banter has not been lost in isolation."

"I teach middle schoolers. All I have is sarcasm."

Willow jutted out her chin. "I heard about that. The Friars tell me you are doing excellent work."

Buffy felt a twinge of anger spike inside. She did not like anyone checking on her. Maybe coming here was a bad idea.

Xander wrapped his arms around them. "My two favorite gals. The three amigos back together again."

"More like the three stooges."

Buffy turned and saw Harmony, her arms folded across a patterned dress. White rimmed glasses blended into her ashen blond hair.

"Harmony?" asked Buffy with a laugh. "You turned into a dork."

Harmony frowned. "Very funny. You have crow's feet you know." She lifted her eyebrows awaiting a response.

"I see you're still a bitch," said Buffy.

"Actually," said Willow. "When the magic went all wonky, Harmony was...transformed."

Buffy lifted her eyebrows. "Human again?"

"No," said Harmony. 'Half and half like everything else in this stupid world."

Buffy shook her head and turned to Willow. "What is she talking about?"

"Harmony is part vampire and part slayer."

Buffy turned back to Harmony who flashed a smile, then back to Willow. "I don't even understand how you can tell."

"First of all. Soul. I can sense it in her along with the demon," said Willow. "She also doesn't need to feed. The slayer blood rejuvenates her."

"How?"

"Don't know," said Willow with a shrug. "We know slayer blood can cure vamps of certain poisons, like you did for Angel."

"Freakin Faith," muttered Buffy.

"Exactly," said Willow. 

"I just don't understand how this could happen."

Harmony leaned forward, almost nose to nose with Buffy. "Doesn't matter that you don't have the brain power to understand. I'm important around her. Besides Willow, I'm like the biggest bad ass around."

"And you remind us every day," said Xander.

Buffy felt the stirring in her gut. Her hands clenched into fists and she spread her legs apart, rising onto the balls of her feet. 

Willow placed a hand on Harmony's shoulder. "Harm, I need you to finish the slayer training for me."

Harmony's shoulders dropped and she stomped the floor. "What! Why?"

"Because I need to bring Buffy up to speed and you are the only one who can take over the training."

Harmony lit up. "True, I am the only one. Fine, I'll lead the training with my expert skills." As she passed Buffy, she stuck her tongue out. "Talk slow Willow so maybe she'll learn something." And then she was out the door.

"See all the fun you been missing," said Xander.

Buffy stared at the floor and shook her head. "It must be bad if you two have Harmony helping."

"It is," said Willow. "But Harmony serves her purpose like we all do. Come in here. It's my office. All official like."

The office, much like the complex, was big but felt confined. Large tomes stacked at different heights surrounded a grand desk that looked like something from the Library of Congress. Dim light from two desk lamps, and one lava lamp, gave the room a shadowy feel and illuminated the layer of dust on the desk. Buffy swore she heard mice scurrying across the baseboards.

"Cleaning lady off?" asked Buffy grinning at Xander.

"You should talk," said Xander taking a seat in one of the leather chairs in the corner. Dust puffed around him and he coughed. 

"Serves you right," said Buffy.

Willow sat at the desk and pushed some books aside. "I don't really use the office. I have a lab in the basement. That's where I play most of the time. This place is just for research. It reminds me of the library at Sunnydale." She paused and looked around before adding, "Except for the boxes."

"I talked to Giles," continued Willow. As she talked, books floated around her, pages flipping furiously. "He gave me some hints on what we might be up against. But I haven't found anything definitive."

"How is he?" asked Buffy staring at her nails. She needed a manicure.

"He's good," said Willow. "Enjoying retirement. Same as you."

Buffy frowned. "I'm glad he's enjoying it."

"You still mad?" asked Xander.

Willow looked up from the book that floated in front of her, pages still flipping back and forth.

"It wasn't his fault you know," said Willow.

Buffy did not want to get into another debate that would go unresolved. She knew Giles had been the first to suggest her retirement and that Faith should take over as the lead slayer. It was not a huge leap. She had been hinting about it for months and he always could read her better than anyone, even Willow and Xander. When he had approached her with the idea of retirement, she felt relief. But Faith. It made sense. She had led the slayers once before and she could do it again. It did not matter that Giles was right or that it was what she wanted. He was choosing someone else over her. Choosing Faith. Again. She was the chosen, not Faith. Didn't the universe have some say? Shouldn't it be divine or some kind of spell to choose the new leader? It was bad enough that there were so many slayers. Whatever happened to one in every generation? She had grown tired, that was true. She had agreed almost immediately, which was also true. But she hated Giles for not trying to convince her to stay and for choosing someone over her, no matter how logical.

"Where is Faith anyway?" asked Buffy. "Buying black eye liner."

"Turkey," said Willow, ignoring the comment.

"I know you are but what am I," said Buffy. 

Willow and Xander's blank expressions stared back at her. 

Buffy felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "Sorry, I'm around twelve year olds a lot."

"It shows," said Xander.

"You know," said Buffy. "You really have lost your sense of humor in your old age."

"I'm not old," said Xander.

"Aha," said Willow as she dragged her finger across the pages of a large brown book. "I found the passage. It's Sumerian. The magic of a time must not undo the magic of before."

"And how does this help us?" asked Buffy. Xander was still frowning at her.

"Well, it doesn't really," said Willow.

Buffy lifted her eyebrows. "You two remember how this works, right? You research. Tell me what to punch and I go punch it."

"You do like to punch," said Xander.

He smiled and Buffy felt his mood lighten. She had been away for so long, but the old feelings were starting to fall into place. It was like that with old friends.

"This alone doesn't help," said Willow. "But maybe with the inscription on the Altar of Hanish, it will make sense. Faith was getting me the tablet."

Buffy felt her eyes glass over. "Will, I know this means something to someone. Just not me."

Willow wrung her hands together. "Sorry, I forgot you don't know what I'm talking about. Xand, you're supposed to keep me from doing that."

"But you're so cute when you're all excited."

"You're still gay, right?" asked Buffy.

"I am," said Willow. "Although, I'm more of a nun lately."

Buffy rubbed her hands together. "Now, we're getting somewhere."

"Stop it," said Willow. "Stop making jokes. There's a time to get serious and it's right now. This is serious. We didn't get you because we missed your sense of humor."

"You didn't miss me at all, did you?" asked Buffy, her voice breaking on the last word. Silence fell over them.

"I shouldn't have come," said Buffy. 

"Buff, we need..."

"Xander, stop it," said Buffy, whipping her head around. 

Xander slumped, his mouth hung open. Willow looked down, not meeting Buffy's glare. "You both agreed with Giles that I was burnt out. That it was time to put me out to pasture like some old cow or whatever. I haven't heard from either of you in years and now you bring me here and act like everything is fine. We can just go back to our old routine."

"We thought it was what you wanted," said Xander.

"We missed you," said Willow.

"I don't want to be missed!"

"You want to be hit?"

Buffy spun around. Faith stood in the doorway, a wide dimpled smile on her face. "Cause I can help you with that."

#

Buffy ducked as Faith swung a wooden sword at her. The training area smelled like sweat and old laundry. Punching bags hung from the exposed rafters. Weapons clung to the walls. Buffy felt at home.

"You're not as slow as I thought you'd be, B," said Faith as she whipped the sword in circles. "I thought you'd be wicked rusty."

Buffy remained silent. She was slow. Her brain was telling her to move right, then left and swing around with a back kick, but her body felt rigid. Her movements were in slow motion compared to Faith.

Faith struck forward, the wooden sword catching Buffy on the shoulder. She winced.

"You are out of shape though."

Sweat rolled down Buffy's face. She clenched her teeth and took a wide stance. She could not let Faith get the best of her. Not Faith. She charged forward, hoping Faith would go for the fake angry charge. As she closed in, she veered left and spun to find empty air. Faith clunked her on the head. Buffy whipped around, swinging her sword in a wide arc. Faith drifted back, sucking in her chest as the wooden edge cut through the air. The breeze barely moved her shirt.

Buffy tossed the sword to the ground and hunched over, grabbing her knees. She took in deep breaths. Lifting her head, she met Faith's grinning face.

"I haven't fought for seven years."

"It shows."

Buffy stretched her back, rubbing the top of her head. "You didn't have to hit me on the head."

"You're right. I didn't."

Buffy laughed. She picked up a towel and wrapped it around her neck. "Training alone is no substitute for one on one dueling. So, how was Turkey?"

Faith shrugged. "Ok. Ran into a little trouble, but nothing I couldn't handle."

Buffy recognized the fake bravado. "You don't have to lie to me, you know. You just kicked my butt. Literally a few times. Come sit with me."

Faith narrowed her eyes. Buffy patted the bench next to her. 

"Ok. You haven't lost your intuition," said Faith plopping down on the bench. She rested her elbows on her knees.

"Dealing with kids keeps me on my toes," said Buffy.

Faith shook her head. "I can't believe you teach middle school."

"Well I don't teach them, except for a little history. I share my insights on life with them. The mission is a cool place to work and the school on the grounds helps underprivileged kids so I think I'm making a mark on the world."

"You made your mark more than anyone," said Faith. "You made it on me."

Buffy stared at Faith, trying to determine her motive, if there was one. She seemed genuine.

Faith twisted her head and smiled. "We don't have to hate each other you know?"

"I don't hate you," said Buffy.

Faith grinned. "That was almost convincing."

Buffy blew out an exasperated breath. "I was jealous Giles picked you. I've always been jealous of you."

Faith chuckled. "I've always been jealous of you. Funny how that works."

"Look," said Buffy, turning to face Faith. "We have a lot of history. Some good, most of it bad. But we're older and wiser now, right? And I know my place here. You're in charge and I'll follow you're lead. You don't have to worry about me trying to take that away."

Faith nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks."

Buffy lifted an eyebrow. "Thanks? That's it?"

Faith rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, I mean..."

Faith looked away and Buffy felt her chest tighten. "Faith?"

"Leading these girls is so hard," said Faith, her words choked. "I've been doing it for so long now and Willow does a lot so I don't want you to think it's all on me. Sometimes it feels like it is and now someone is killing slayers and I don't know what to do."

Buffy rested her hand on Faith's shoulder. "I know. Being the lead slayer is hard and lonely."

"I feel stupid telling you this. You did it alone for so long and I've never had to do that."

"I've always had help. And you have help to. Even my old ass."

Faith laughed as she wiped her cheeks. "I'm thirty eight so I'm not that far behind you."

"Well I'm a worn forty."

"I still can't believe you teach. You hated school."

"Hate is probably right. But I was at my best when I was at Sunnydale High. I guess I just feel more comfortable in a school."

Faith smiled.

"But now that I'm here, fill me in," said Buffy. "Any idea who's doing this?"

"Killing us, you mean?"

Buffy nodded and Faith shook her head. "None. It's weird. I go to all this trouble getting this book for Willow and she's already blown it off."

"She told me. Back to square one she said."

"It doesn't make any sense," said Faith. "Whoever is doing this must be really powerful. The girls never have a chance."

Faith turned and looked at the door, then back to Buffy. She leaned closer. "Did Willow show you the pictures?"

Her tone made Buffy shiver. "No. What pictures?"

"The dead slayers. Each one died the same way. Something Willow called the Blood Eagle."

Buffy felt the acid in her stomach roil. She tightened the muscles in her jaw. "Tell me."

"Their backs were hacked open and the skin peeled apart to expose the spine. Their ribs were snapped from the spine and bent back until they faced out."

"My god. What beast would kill someone that way?"

"Oh, that wasn't what killed them," said Faith.

"They were still alive through all that."

Faith nodded. "Coroner said they died from suffocation after their lungs were pulled out and coated with sea salt. The pain must have been..."

Revulsion turned to anger as Buffy bored her fists into the wooden bench. This was going to stop now.

#

Dr. Lambourne looked up from her microscope. Her red hair stood out in the white of the room. She had cut it recently and Kiara thought it looked nice. Although, she noticed the cut was uneven, the left side a sixteenth of an inch longer. No one knows why, but subconsciously they think Dr. Lambourne is a little off, perhaps distracted. In truth, it is her hair.

"Good morning, Kiara."

"Good morning, Dr. Lambourne."

Kiara smiled wide, letting her incisors protrude. She tilted her head toward one of the guards by the lab door. His face twisted with a disgusted fear she had grown to relish.

"Back at 0200," said the guard. As he left, Kiara listened for the click of the locks engaging. There were at least three occasions when the locks did not all click into place completely. 

Dr. Lambourne picked up her coffee mug. The one that read, I'm statistically significant. Red lipstick marked the rim of the cup. 

"Are you excited about the big day?" asked Dr. Lambourne. She took a sip from her mug trying to mask her own excitement.

"Really?" asked Kiara. 

"Yes, Buffy Summers was spotted entering the facility."

"When do I leave?"

"Tonight. We have word that a lower level slayer, a Kasumi Okada, will be in sector eleven. You will remove her and wait for Summers. She is not one to sit idly."

Kiara clasped her hands together. "I can't believe it. I will make you proud."

Dr. Lambourne jutted her chin out. "I know you will my lovely. You are the one who will return balance to the magic. You have felt the shift?"

Kiara nodded. She twisted her neck and continued to stretch, allowing her fingers to elongate. The unfurling of bone and muscle clicked and a satisfied smile filled her face.

Dr. Lambourne took a sip from her mug.

"Come see your target." She motioned Kiara over.

She stared at the photograph. The girl must be sixteen, seventeen at most. Skinny, long brown hair, flat, not like Dr. Lambourne's curvy locks, and dark eyes, like tiny chocolates. She picked up the photograph and traced her finger across the girl's face. Another step to salvation.

"You must remember your training," said Dr. Lambourne. "Even an inexperienced slayer is dangerous."

"I will be careful. As always."

The sweet woman gave her the same speech each time Kiara left for a hunt. Dr. Lambourne was the closest she had to a mother. 

"You must," said Dr. Lambourne. She clutched Kiara's shoulder. "Magic needs to be balanced and all the slayers have to be destroyed. Especially the one called Summers."

Kiara grinned. "And she will be."

#

Buffy paced Willow’s office. She had been wearing the carpet out for the last hour. They went through every demon, every monster they had come across.

"What about this Eagle thingy again?"

Willow rubbed her temples. "It's an old Norse legend. I didn't even think it was real."

"Oh, it's real," said Buffy picking up her pace.

"Why don't you sit down?" asked Xander.

Buffy ignored him. "So then, what about Norse demons or monsters? Gods, what about gods? Maybe this is some Viking Glory type thing."

Willow shook her head. "No, nothing indicates any demon or god like activity. I think we are dealing with something new."

Harmony and Faith strode into the office. 

"Everyone is accounted for except Kasumi," said Faith.

"Where is she?" asked Buffy.

"I don't like your tone," said Harmony. She shook her finger at Buffy.

"Harm," said Willow with a heavy sigh. "Buffy is here to help."

"Well she isn't doing anything but boss people around and Faith says she's super slow now."

Buffy frowned at Faith. Faith looked stared at her feet. "I didn't say super slow."

Buffy collapsed onto the sofa. "I am slow and pissed off. And I can't just pace around or sit here."

"We could go check out where Kasumi was patrolling," said Faith. "Probably just has her phone on vibrate. She's easily distracted so she turns it off when she's patrolling."

"I didn't know that," said Willow, an edge in her voice.

"I don't like it either but she says it’s hard to focus so..."

"Well she needs to have her phone on at all times, not just when she feels like it," chastised Willow. Faith nodded slowly.

"Will, can you do a location spell?" asked Xander.

Willow shook her head. "Not since the magic has gone haywire. Everything is flipped upside down and left instead of right. It's impossible to pinpoint anyone or anything. It's fluxmalating."

Buffy stood and brushed her pants off. "Looks like we'll do it the old fashioned way."

"Well good we have an oldie to help us," said Harmony.

"Harmony, we're the same age," said Buffy.

"Oh."

Faith laughed as Harmony scrunched her face with mathematical thoughts. "Come on, B. Just like old times."

Buffy rolled her eyes and followed Faith.

#

By the time they arrived at the neighborhood Kasumi had been patrolling, it was almost dark. A line of sunlight like a thin hair stretched across the horizon. Buffy was not a fan of Los Angeles. She had only been back a few times and each time had been under terrible conditions, one of those times with her current partner Faith. Angel had taken Faith's side in direct opposition to Buffy after Faith had switched bodies with her. It was an unpleasant feeling to begin with and then to have the love of her life abandon her and send her away had left deep scars. It made her wonder why she had come back. What was she doing? Looking for the fountain of youth in her old legacy? Trying to be part of the gang again? Lead the gang again? Did she even want that? It confused her. She'd rather have some tea and read her Jamie McGuire novel on her patio, not patrol dirty alleyways in an abandoned warehouse district. And why were there so many abandon warehouses anyway? Wasn't Trump supposed to make America great again.

"Sun's down," said Faith. "If we're lucky, we might run into some vamps."

"I thought they were pretty much exterminated now," said Buffy. She had followed Willow's posts during the reclamation when the slayers were in full force, killing every vamp, including Drusila. It was bittersweet knowing she was gone. That was one batshit crazy vampire. But she was Spike's first love and Buffy knew that it must have killed him, if he was still alive. "Figured we'd have better luck running into a leprechaun."

Faith shivered. "God, those guys give me the creeps."

"Wait, you've run into a leprechaun?"

Boxes exploded from both sides. Six female vampires, dressed in blood red gowns, bolted from the shadows. Before Buffy knew what was happening Faith had dusted two. She had definitely held back during their training session. A vampire grabbed Buffy from behind, twisting her head to try to get to her throat. Buffy kicked back and spun landing a punch to the vamp's jaw. The vamp crashed into the wall of the warehouse. Buffy smashed a wood slat and pulled out a makeshift stake. She would need to get herself a new Mr. Pointy. The vampire, green eyes blinking, popped up and tried to run. Buffy burst forward. Feeling the adrenaline rush through her veins, she grasped the vamp's shoulder, spun her around and plunged the stake into her heart. The vamp grimaced a moment before disintegrating into dust.

"Buffy," yelled Faith.

Buffy whirled and saw a vamp lifting Faith over her head like a rag doll. She tossed her into a bunch of boxes and Faith crumpled to the ground. She tried to stand, but collapsed.

Two vamps left. Faith had already killed three. Buffy needed to catch up in the score. 

"Hey, Kardashians. Shouldn't you be at the mall?"

The two remaining vamps looked confused.

"They don't know what you're talking about, Buffy."

A thin girl sat atop one of the large containers. Her skin was pale like the moon and her black clothes clung to her body. She was tiny, but there was a fierceness about her, almost like a cornered animal. Between her legs and a little further down was Kasumi. She hung from a long braided rope, thick like the ones they tied ships to at the docks. A dark substance covered the rope. As Kasumi twisted around, Buffy saw that her splayed open back. Blood dripped from her green painted toes. Below her, one of the vamps licked the blood from the cement.

Buffy resisted the urge to charge. They outnumbered her and Faith was still on the ground. She needed to stall.

"You the leader of this girl club?"

"No, I just work here. But I really love my work." She kicked the rope and Kasumi twirled. A wide smile filled the girl's face and Buffy could see the incisors protruding from her mouth, not like a vampire. They were longer and there were more of them, like shark's teeth.

"Well, I hope you like getting your ass kicked because after I kill these two red shirts I'm going to take my time with you."

The girl smirked. "Your fear is showing through. I know you're hoping Faith will wake up, but she can't help you. Your time is over. You sense that, right?"

"I am so embarrassed. You know me, but I just can't place you. I've fought a lot of skanks in my day, all dressed in black, not realizing that Goth is dead."

"You're the one talking about the mall."

Buffy clenched her fists. "I'd love to have a name to tell my friends when I describe how I slayed you. We like to keep a catalog. You know, for organizational purposes."

"I'm sure Willow has quite the database."

She knew Willow. This girl knew a lot. Buffy assumed she was the one who killed Kasumi, but maybe not. She needed the girl alive so that Willow could work on her. What she needed was Faith to wake up.

"Kiara." The girl smiled and there was a sweetness in her face. Buffy could see the girl that used to be, now hidden within the monster.

"Thanks. I hate referring to women as skank in the me too movement era."

Kiara dropped to the ground, her fingers elongating. The two vamps charged and Buffy kicked the broken slat she had used for her stake. It undercut both vamps and they crashed to the ground. While they had been talking, she had eyed her stake. She grasped it and staked the first vamp before she could get up. The other was on her knees when the stake found its place in her chest. 

Fire exploded in Buffy's side. Her cheek burned as Kiara scraped her nails across Buffy's face. A guttural cry erupted from Kiara as she continued to pummel Buffy, her hands a blur. Light flashed in Buffy's vision and she swung blindly, leaving her left side open. She heard her ribs break before she felt the pain. Collapsing, she reached for her stake. A boot caught her chin and more stars filled her view.

"Your time is over," said Kiara as she swiped across Buffy's side drawing blood in five long lines. Buffy went down to all fours. Kiara kicked and the air raced from Buffy's lungs. 

"The time of slayers is over. It is my time. One in every generation will be called."

She leaped into the air and came down on Buffy's back. Crunching bones echoed in the air and Buffy did not feel pain. That worried her more. Blood leaked from the side of her mouth and she tasted bits of cement as she tried to pull herself up. 

"I am that one."

"Not even close."

Faith crashed into Kiara, sending her flying. Kiara wiped blood from her mouth. She sneered at Faith.

"I've done what I needed to do. You and I will have our time."

Kiara raced down the alleyway. Faith started after her until Buffy's cries turned her around. Faith moved over to Buffy and started to lift her, but she started to sob.

"B, it's going to be okay."

"Faith. Get Willow. I can't feel my legs."

#

A soft sound roused Buffy. A whisper. It was melodic and it rose and fell like waves. The tinge of antiseptic touched her nostrils and her dry throat burned with each swallow. The skin around her neck and back itched against the scratchy sheets. Her eyes fluttered open. Soft yellow light filled the room and she could only make out the edges. Her wrists were bound and she wanted to scratch her nose.

Soft words came again. Low and calming, she let them wash over her. They came from a corner of the room, the originator hidden from vision. She took in deep breaths and closed her eyes. She was in a hospital and she could not feel her legs. The memory of Kiara beating her and breaking her caused her to grind her teeth. She tried to calm herself and let the sound take her away, but every muscle tensed and she felt her hands ball into fists. Her head felt hot and sweat rolled down the sides of her face. Fever boiled inside her.

Then it was dark again.

A door. Red light surrounds the frame. Buffy jiggles the doorknob. 

That's not the way out.

Faith lays by the edge of a pool, a maroon bikini strapped tight across her body. The white sand is a perfect canvas for her tanned skin. She raises her hand to shield the sunlight. Her cocoa colored eyes have a half-glazed look of drunkenness. Buffy reaches and touches her hand. Her skin is warm from the sun. Buffy notices their fingernails are the same color, yellow, the skin receding to reveal the root. A smell, sour like clothes from an overcrowded washing machine, makes her gag. Faith's grin through her drunken stare feels inviting. 

The room is spacious, but lacks windows. Lawn furniture fills the empty space and the walls are without paint or pictures, jagged like the sides of eroded mountains. Buffy see her blue dress, the one she wore to her mother's funeral, splayed across the floor covered with wriggling maggots. When she looks up, the universe extends across the ceiling, moving like time-lapse photography from inception to present. Rewinding and playing over and over. Planets emerge and stars flash in an out of existence. A single red point on the far end stays constant through the movement. 

I know this place. 

Buffy is sitting at a desk in a butterfly bikini, her flip-flops have a thong going between each toe and they squirm like worms against her skin. Harmony appears next to the desk wearing lettuce and tomatoes. 

"Have you seen the bacon?" she asks.

Buffy shakes her head and Harmony disappears around the corner, the lettuce wilting. Fingers massage Buffy's neck and she tilts her head to side. The kneading of her flesh eases her stress and she feels her tendons loosen. When she lifts her eyes, she sees Kiara rubbing her neck, her fingers elongated and kneading into Buffy's skin, leaving long bloody lines. 

"Calm down. I'm me," she says.

Her teeth are gold and silver like the keys of a piano Elton John would have wanted to play. 

"You haven't figured it out, have you?" she asks.

"Are you going to hurt me again?"

The fluorescent light buzzes above and explodes like a flash of lighting in the dark of night.

Buffy sits at the Espresso Pump, the familiar smells of the leather stools, the street performers playing in the background, a cup of hot chocolate swirls in front of her. Blonde curls fall across her face and when she reaches up, she touches bald skin. When she looks down, her hair lifts up and gestures from the floor. Buffy crawls, following and gathering the pieces, picking up huge clumps and slapping them on her raw scalp. Sucking sounds echo as each clump takes hold.

The pulsating floor pushes her forward, like meat along a slow conveyor belt. Walls narrow and darkness swallows her. Her arms feel wet. Bones crack and she hears pieces slosh inside her skin. In the distance, a yellow light blinks and something scratches at her feet, her toes bare through cyan tennis shoes, the tops cut off in jagged lines as if hacked by pinking shears. The light leads to a yellow membrane. Gritting her teeth, she pushes through and some of the filmy substance squeezes into her mouth. The offal reminiscent flavor causes her to retch. She falls from a vent into Willow's office. Willow is motioning fanatically in front of a crowd of slayers. Girls with blank faces and numbers scrawled into their cheeks. Each disappears as the number blackens and they burn away like dusted vamps.

A door is behind them. The doorknob shakes.

"That's not the way out," Buffy murmurs.

Faith is sitting on a love seat with wings on the armrests, her hair red now and the edges glisten like gasoline fire. She is wearing a dress made of bells and when she shifts, it sounds like wind chimes.

"What's behind the door?" asks Buffy.

"It's not the way."

Faith picks up a make-up bag. She pulls out a wide blush brush and strokes her cheek. Lights flash and the world disappears for a moment as if a segment from a missing reel disappeared. Faith's face has changed into negative and when the brush touches her skin, each stroke paints red thermal lines that remind Buffy of the pictures she took with one of her student's Snap Chat filters. Her hands blur as fingers dance across her face, contorting it into something else, something recognizable.

"I know you."

Buffy's voice sounds deep like she has been sick and coughing for weeks. She turns to run.

Laughter from all sides fills her ears. "It's coming for you."

Steps give way beneath her. Her feet slip into the wood like socks. Struggling up, she sees the door ahead. A belt rips into her back, Kiara yelling a collection of words in a language she does not understand, a language that touches an ancient focal point in her mind, the language of the First. Her skin screams as if covered with a million tiny paper cuts dipped in lemon juice. She tastes almonds under her lips, like peanut butter sticking to her gums. The door throbs as if alive. She reaches for the handle.

"That's not the way out."

#

The soft sound again. This time closer and discernible. Singing. A soft masculine voice. One she knows well.

"Giles?"

Her voice is a whisper, but he stops singing.

"Buffy? Are you awake?"

Buffy nods. Each movement is an effort. She feels his hand on her forehead and she feels her whole body relax. How does he do that? 

"Your spine was fractured."

He continues to rub her forehead. As her hair falls forward, he brushes it back with each stroke.

"The doctors are significantly impressed with your progress. When they performed surgery, they said that the damage was not as severe as the x-rays showed. Seems your healing ability took care of much of the damage."

Buffy opened her eyes and Giles smiled at her. His hair was gray and the laugh lines around his eyes had deepened. His blue eyes still shun bright and Buffy started to cry.

"It's ok. You're going to be fine."

"I couldn't stop her Giles. She was so strong and what she did to poor Kasumi."

Giles took her hand. "Willow is reviewing the video from Faith's eye cam. We will find a way to stop this girl."

"Eye cam?" Buffy threw her head back. "So there's video of me getting my ass kicked." 

A soft laugh slipped through Giles mouth and he squeezed her hand. He stood and removed his glasses, the same clear wire frames she remembered. He took out a small cloth and rubbed a smudge out as he held them to the light. The comfortable feel of the common relaxed her again and she wiped the tears from her face.

"Is Faith ok?"

"Oh, yes. She's fine. A bit banged up and a little rattled. She's organizing the slayers in the area. Now that we have a face, we can begin the hunt."

Buffy scooched up.

"Should you move that way?" asked Giles.

"I'm fine," said Buffy. She grimaced as a pain shot up her back and through her neck and head. Talk about brain freeze. "When can I get out of here?"

"A couple of days according to the doctors."

"So, tonight?"

Giles smiled again. "I'll talk to the head of the hospital. We can have you discharged as soon as you can walk."

Buffy swung the sheet back and plopped her feet on the floor. It was cold, but it felt good. She lifted herself and after a wobble, straightened. Pain burned through her lower back. She pulled the pain inside, using it to fuel her as she had done so many times before. She stepped forward.

"There. I walked."

#

Grey storm clouds hung over the open area between the complex. The space was bigger than the three buildings Willow and the slayers used for training. Several hundred girls of all sizes, race and ethnicity stood at attention, hands clasped behind their backs. Faith and Willow stood on the docking bay platform that protruded from one of the buildings. Faith was in her typical streetwalker clothes, but Willow looked radiant. Her red and yellow dress fluttered in the cool breeze and the edges sparked with tiny flames. A magic induced illusion, but still very cool.

Xander, Giles and Harmony stood to the side with Buffy who was still in a wheelchair. When they had rolled her into the office, Xander concluded that they finally had their Professor X. Even Giles had laughed. 

"You have your assigned areas," yelled Willow. She waved her hand and the slayers fell back as if a strong wind had shoved them. "I've implanted the maps in your mind."

"They're also on your phones," added Faith with a quirky grin.

Willow frowned. "Yes, your phones too. Five slayers will cover each area. Do not separate. Do not engage the enemy on your own. Notify me and we will converge on your location."

Buffy tugged on Giles jacket.

"How many slayers are there now?"

"Well, in this area, there are..." He paused for a moment. "Six hundred and seventy-two."

"In this area?"

"Yes, those are the last numbers I have, but I can ask Willow."

"But why are there so many?" asked Buffy.

"We can never have enough slayers."

Buffy eased back into her chair. Kiara had said something about balance. Buffy flinched as she remembered the slashing of the belt on her back, the dream and Kiara's blood curdling scream. Her words dug into her core. 

"So that's why she targeted us," whispered Buffy. 

Xander leaned over. "You okay? Do you need something?"

"It's because there are hundreds of slayers now."

"Way more than that," said Xander. 

"Oh yes, many more if you include the world," added Giles.

Buffy looked up at Giles. "How many slayers are there in the world?"

"Over ten thousand."

#

Kiara tossed an empty oil drum against the wall. The clang of metal echoed in the open warehouse. Her black hair clung to her sweaty face. She had been at it for a while.

"When you are done, we can get back to our work," yelled Dr. Lambourne. She stood at the front of the room with several guards dressed in white and black cameo uniforms. Masks covered their faces. Dr. Lambourne wore a yellow blouse, frilled at the cuffs and long black slacks, the line down the center perfectly straight. She was meeting with the council later. Her clothes were always a giveaway. 

"How can she have lived?" asked Kiara.

"Summers is the original so to speak. Her death and resurrection initiated our dilemma. She is older, but still very strong. Her healing abilities are like no other slayer, even Faith."

Kiara grabbed a piece of concrete that had fallen from a crack in the wall, a crack she had made. She pounded it onto the floor. Dust and her blood mixed as she beat her frustration into the concrete. Her white t-shirt clung to her back.

"Here," said Dr. Lambourne, lifting a new set of clothes in the air. "Put these on for your training."

"I'm too tired to train."

"You should have thought of that before your little hissy fit." Dr. Lambourne motioned the clothes at her. "Come on now."

Kiara ripped her shirt off. Her nakedness brought some oohs and ahs from the crowd of men. They gazed at her in anticipation as she pulled her pants off. The cool air felt wonderful on her skin. The men stared. Men were easy prey, not like the slayers. She would make this training quick.

She reached for the clothes and swung her leg at the man closest to Dr. Lambourne, catching him in the throat. He fell to his knees and she backhanded him to the floor. Before the other men realized the exercise had begun, Kiara had two more writhing in pain. Four more encircled her, batons whipped out and thrashing through the air. More indicators of their location. Kiara calculated the distance in her mind of all four. Each thrust, each step, part of a logical algorithm running through her mind. Every punch to the gut, kick to the knee or slap across the face had three steps after it. She lost herself in the motions until Dr. Lambourne yelled to stop.

Kiara held an unconscious guard in her hands. Blood leaked from the sides of his mouth and his eyes were swelling shut as she watched. She dropped him. Pain registered for the first time. She examined the strikes on her white skin, the red deeper in some spots where the men had gotten in a good lick.

"Quite well considering your mental state," said Dr. Lambourne.

"Men are easy," said Kiara.

Dr. Lambourne nodded. "Yes, they are. It is a shame Summers is not a degenerate like her witch friend. Come sit with me."

Kiara followed her to a metal desk. It stood higher than the desk in the lab and Dr. Lambourne lifted herself up onto the high chair, crossing her legs. There was a small cut below her knee. A shaving mishap. Kiara could still smell the aloe based shaving cream. Dr. Lambourne smiled and tilted her head in a way Kiara disliked. It was a condescending movement and her patronizing tone would follow.

"Now, I know you don't like it when things do not come to fruition as you intended. You must be able to change your plans midstream the way you did using your sexuality against these men."

"She should be dead."

"Yes, she should," agreed Dr. Lambourne. "But you failed."

Her words felt like a slap across the face. "I thought I killed her and you told me after she was dead I should run."

"I did. But you did not confirm the kill as you were instructed. Summers will be your greatest challenge."

"If that is true, then I have no challenger. She is slow and her moves are predictable."

Dr. Lambourne wagged her finger. "Do not underestimate that woman. She has done more in her life than you can imagine. She has faced gods, the first evil and defeated them at every turn. Her power is unique."

"That was years ago. She is not the same."

"Perhaps. I caution you. If we are to set things right, Summers must die."

#

Buffy watched the faces of her friends as she recounted her dream and what she knew it to mean. A quiet tension grew in Willow's office. In the past, they may have doubted her. But after her dreams about the Master, about Angel losing his soul and the dreams of the First Slayer, they all knew when Buffy dreams, there is a reason. Now, she had to make them understand the meaning she knew to be true.

"Could it really be our fault?" asked Willow.

There was a remorseful tone in her voice that Buffy recognized. Her friend always tried to do the right thing. She lived by it. The problem was the right thing was not always obvious.

"We didn't do anything," said Xander. "When Buffy died and I brought her back, that's what started everything."

"But that was only one slayer called," said Buffy. "It wasn't until I asked Willow to tap the essence of the slayer Scythe, that the potentials all became active."

Willow nodded. "And since then, potentials activated immediately on their sixteenth birthday."

"Which has led to the imbalance," said Buffy.

"And that's a bad thing?" asked Faith. 

Buffy recalled the words of the first slayer.

No... friends... just the kill... we are... alone

"I know it sounds like a good thing, but when the balance of the universe is off, it can't be right."

"You said there was a door?" asked Giles. He sat at Willow's desk, a cup of cold coffee in his hand. Several books sat in front of him, the words in an ancient language Buffy thought looked like emojis."

"I knew that was the door we opened when we let the slayers out. And the single red point was her. Kiara. She's here for us."

Giles flipped pages, his brow furrowed. Willow shook her head.

"That can't be right. The good work we've done. We've almost eliminated vampires from existence."

"Maybe we're not supposed to," said Buffy with a shrug.

"So, what then," said Xander, standing. "Are we supposed to just fight for all eternity? No one ever wins. We just keep fighting."

"There may be some truth to that," said Giles. "The balance the girl spoke of might be the reason the magic has become so unstable. That instability could lead to realties we cannot imagine. This girl has been called much like the slayer was called in the beginning. To keep balance."

"It's not like there isn't enough evil out there," said Faith. "If anything, we're still out numbered."

Willow popped out of her seat. "Oh, what if I call on the goddess Thespia to help us locate demonic energy and we harness that power. We channel it to Buffy or Faith, however many we can and we hit this gal head on."

"Sounds good to me," said Faith.

"Another spell," said Buffy. "That's why we're here. We can't dig our way out by digging deeper."

Willow's shoulders drooped. Her eyebrows squished together. "We're here to fight evil and we're winning. Now you want us to give back our advantage. To quit like you quit."

Buffy stiffened. "That was just fine with you."

"Yes it was."

"Stop this at once," said Giles slamming his book closed. "Bickering amongst ourselves will not solve our dilemma."

Buffy frowned and Willow glared at her. They had been best friends at one time. Buffy could not believe how much had changed. Ever since she walked into this place, she felt unwanted. They all were trying to get back the mojo they had lost, but it was becoming evident with every passing hour, it might be gone forever. The slayer was to be alone. Buffy knew that better than any of them. She had lived it. And she knew what to do.

"We need to put things back the way they were. There can only be one slayer and that's me."

#

Buffy heard them arguing in the next room. Her tea was getting cold. She could not stomach drinking it. The realization that again the world went astray because she got lazy was making her stomach do flip flops. She did not care what decision they thought was theirs to make. Giles, Willow, even Faith were all ancillary when it came to the meaning of being the slayer. The responsibility was hers alone. It always had been and she was careless to think she could walk away from her duty. She did not get to retire. The magic world was upside down to the point that evil had called itself a version of a slayer. This was her fault and she knew she had to right it.

She missed Angel. He understood her like no other in this world, except maybe Spike. When things went wrong in Los Angeles, Angel and Spike had been true heroes. When the magic went crazy, vampires went feral, not even wearing the guise of humanity. It was one of the reasons it became so easy to ignore the multitude of slayers. The need seemed to outweigh the imbalance. Angel and Spike both disappeared. Willow thought that they had sequestered themselves before they fell too deeply into the throws of their demon. Buffy was not sure of that. It was not like either of them to retreat from a fight. As Buffy sipped her cold tea, she realized she had not thought of either of them in years. It was strange to have loved so completely only to have it fade into nothing. 

She heard Willow yelling at Giles. Buffy could not make out the words, and she did not want to. She hoped Willow would come around soon. The sooner they started, the safer everyone would be. Like most of the large battles in her life, Buffy needed help. While it was her weight to carry, she had done what other slayers had not done in the past. She had a compliment of incredible friends and despite their recent falling out, they could do together what very few were capable of doing. Willow and Giles would need to work a spell together to make the active slayers go stagnant. She knew that was the answer. Now, she needed the others to come to terms with that fact. 

Faith stormed out of the office. "This is crazy. We can't just give up our advantage. You need to find another way."

"There isn't one," said Buffy.

"There's always another answer."

"Not this time."

Faith towered over her. "I'm not giving up my power for anyone."

"It's not your power. It's mine."

Faith chuckled. "You selfish bitch."

Buffy looked away.

"Faith, come back," said Xander as he chased her down the hallway.

"Buffy," whispered Giles. "Please come in."

Willow sat at her desk. The black streak in her hair had expanded. There was a tightness in her expression. Giles smiled weakly and motioned for Buffy to sit down.

"I'll stand."

Giles nodded and leaned against the desk. "We've discussed your theory in depth and while we understand your interpretation, we cannot abide your decision."

Buffy shrugged. "Then more slayers will die."

"That's not fair," said Willow. "We can kill this Kiara just like we killed the Master and Glory."

"I killed them, not you."

Willow seethed. "I don't have patience for your arrogance. Not anymore."

"My arrogance," said Buffy. "You've never understood what it is to be a slayer. The closest you came to understanding made you go dark and you ripped the skin off of Warren."

Willow's eyes widened and she thrust her arm toward Buffy. A wind struck Buffy's chest and she crashed into the wall. Pain shot down her spine. 

"Willow, stop this," said Giles.

Buffy got to her feet and brushed the dust off her pants. She smiled. "Never could control your temper, Will."

"Buffy, please," said Giles. He started toward her, but she raised her hand.

"You made your decision. Once enough slayers die, I'll be waiting."

"What makes you think we can't kill this girl without you?" asked Willow, raising her chin and sneering.

Buffy shrugged. "They never could kill me."

#

Los Angeles was starting to look like its old self again. Buffy thought that might not be a good thing. Rebuilding efforts had begun a few years ago and Buffy hoped one angel was still in the city of angels, her Angel. After Buffy left the order, she contacted Oz. He had moved to LA after the battle. With his werewolf tendencies under control, he was playing in a band again and doing well, performing at most of the big clubs. She knew he would have contacts in the magic world, that scene always did. Someone would know if Angel was in the area. She needed to get word to him. She knew once he knew she was looking for him, he would contact her. No matter how much time had passed, they were each other's soul mates in the truest form.

It did not take long before Buffy had a meeting spot, a dive biker bar outside the city. When she entered the bar from the bright California sunshine, it was as if she had entered a cave. It reminded her of the Cave of the Winds from a distant family vacation. The darkness and the dank smell brought back the memories of her mother and father. They were happy that day. She could see her mother's bright smile and she felt dizzy with nostalgia.

Her eyes adjusted. The room was still very dark. Recessed lighting gave the area a dull yellow glow. The brightest lights came from mirror behind the wooden bar. She dragged her hand along it, feeling the jagged indentations from a thousand different bumps, scratches and cuts. At the end of the bar was a lone man hunched over a glass of brown liquid. A black hoody covered his head. He reached his gloved hand out and downed the drink. He motioned to the bartender, a squat man with a recessed hairline and paunchy belly, for another one. The bartender smiled at her as he refilled the glass.

"Angel?"

The figure nodded.

"You want a drink little lady?" asked the bartender.

"What he's having."

The bartender placed a smudgy glass down and filled it to the top. Buffy sniffed it and suppressed a cough. She sipped and the burning on her lips chased down her throat and into her chest.

"You said this was urgent," said Angel. His voice was raspy and distant.

"Can you take this off?" asked Buffy tugging on his hoody. "I'd like to talk to you and not your shadow."

"A shadow is all that's left now."

"Angel, please."

She saw his shoulders sag and he took in a deep breath. He downed his drink and slammed it onto the bar.

"Another," he called out.

They sat in silence as the bartender refilled his glass. 

"You sure you're ready to see what I am now," said Angel.

Buffy swallowed unsure of what to expect. She croaked out a yes and Angel pulled his hood back revealing his scarred head. Even in the dim light she could she the cracks and deep grooves along his face like weathered rock. His brilliant eyes still stared through the rough exterior. Buffy reached out and caressed his cheek. She leaned into him and kissed him on the lips. She could feel the rough edges of his skin. 

"I missed you," he whispered.

"I know. I missed you too."

Angel straightened. "When LA fell, we fought. Slowly, we overcame." He dropped his head. "But we lost Wesley."

"I know," said Buffy, her voice tiny.

"After we destroyed the Senior Partners of Wolfram and Hart, things went bad. I don't know if that caused the magic to go haywire or if it was something else."

"It was something else," said Buffy.

Angel shot her a look. "You know what caused this."

Buffy nodded. "A spell. The one that activated the slayers. It's caused an imbalance of power and now there's an evil Buffy running around."

Angel looked confused.

"We thought we were doing the right thing," said Buffy with a sigh. 

She finished her drink. The bartender tilted the bottle at her and she nodded. He filled her glass to the top. She spent the next hour telling Angel about why she stepped away, how Xander had brought her back, the fight with Kiara and the meaning of her dream. He listened, smiling at some parts, frowning at others. It reminded her of the late nights in his alcove, curled by the fire, listening to the stories of his past. When she finished, he did not respond immediately. He sipped his drink and contemplated her words. She tried not to stare at him. He looked so old and yet, he had the same boyish persona she fell for so many years ago. 

"So there's an evil version of you?" asked Angel with a smile.

"Not exactly. She's been called to set things right by killing slayers. She's very good at it."

Angel stared at his drink. "There's always a cost. Makes you wonder if there's a point to any of it."

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe the fight is the point."

Angel shook his head. "That can't be. Why fight for what is right when you can never win?"

"In my dream, I saw the universe and it was so big. I should have felt small like I didn't matter, but I felt empowered. I was a piece of this giant puzzle. The fight between good and evil. Maybe it was never supposed to be won by one side or the other. Maybe we were supposed to find a way to coexist."

Angel chuckled. "How can there be peace between good and evil?"

"I just work here."

He smiled at her. The wrinkles on his skin showed the battles he had been in like so many gradients on a mountain. He noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"It's my soul. It's killing me."

"How?"

"I'm not really sure." He touched his chin. "A lot of this came from the fire in LA."

Buffy remembered the news covering the fires. When Wolfram and Hart started to lose control as Illyria and Angel broke them, they decided they would rather lose the city and burn it to the ground.

"After we killed the last partner, things seemed to go back to normal except I wasn't healing like I had in the past and I started getting aches. My soul was aging. Willow tried to find a spell to reverse the process, but the best she could do was slow it down. I'm aging."

"What about Spike?"

Buffy noticed Angel flinch at his name as if the mention of it was enough to bring back years of history between the two.

"Same thing. Worse in some ways. Whatever magic it is, he started feeling a numbness in his legs and within a few months he couldn't walk."

"Like when he got crushed."

Angel nodded. "He said he couldn't be in a wheelchair again. When Willow couldn't help, he started asking the underground for spells. I haven't heard from him in over a year."

"We can fix this. All this."

"By compromising with evil."

"By setting things back to the way they should be. One slayer."

He nodded. "Ok, what do you need from me?"

The bartender, Scotty, told Angel to lock up before he left this time and Angel chided him that there wasn't anything good to steal. Buffy and Angel drank together into the morning. There was a comfortable peace between them, like an old married couple who had divorced but never left one another. When the night turned to day, they had a plan.

#

Faith led her patrol of slayers into the warehouse by the docks. Willow had tracked Kiara the old-fashioned way by hacking the local security cameras around the area where she had killed Kasumi. From there, she used her computer skills and a bit of magic to follow Kiara to the warehouses around the docks. It was an abandoned area of about ten square miles. There were not any cameras in the area and Willow's magic crapped out right at the gated entrance to the complex. It smelled of a trap.

Xander mapped out the attack, deploying several groups of slayers. Willow and Harmony covered the front while he and Giles held the back with a contingency of slayers. It was a bit of overkill, but Willow felt it was better to have too many slayers instead of having less. If it was a trap, she could cast a protective spell long enough for them to retreat. Xander had suggested one small group infiltrate the area in case it was a trap. Faith had garnered a group of three other slayers who volunteered to go.

There was a slight mist in the air and Faith could smell the salt from the ocean. She led the diamond shaped attack formation with Stacey and Jillian on either side and Latisha covering the back. Faith sensed their trepidation because she felt it to. Kiara had killed so efficiently. Yet, there was a feeling that she was holding back, that she had not turned her full power on Buffy and she had almost killed her. But why this feeling that her holding back held a deeper meaning. Something about the way she looked when she fled. There was hesitation in her stare.

A sick laughter broke her from her trance. She glanced back at the other slayers; their eyes were wide.

"Focus," said Faith. "If there are too many, fall back to the rendezvous point."

They crept closer to a large open door in one of the warehouses. It looked wide enough to land a small plane. One light bulb jutted out above the door. It illuminated a small circle and the rest, including the inner area, was black. She heard Jillian swallow as they stepped through the light and into the darkness. 

Breathing. Faith could hear several of them. It did not mean there were not any vampires, but it did mean there was a bunch of heavy breathing men. As they stepped further, the doors behind them slammed shut and lights blasted from above.

The light blinded them and Faith swung expecting to hit someone or something. She heard the other slayers kicking the air, felt the swoosh as one of them (probably Jillian) just missed kicking her in the face. 

"Hold!" yelled Faith.

"You came." Kiara's voice held an unsurprised tone. Faith's eyes adjusted and she saw her standing above them on a platform. Her black jeans and black shirt blended in with her dark hair igniting her pale skin. She grinned. "No, Buffy?"

"We have you surrounded," said Faith. "You and this handful of morons isn't enough against us. Come quietly and I promise, I'll do you quick."

Kiara smiled. "How sweet of you. I think I'll come, but not quietly."

She catapulted off the platform. Men charged from all around. They were human and they carried cattle prods. Faith kicked one large oaf of a man aside and headed for Kiara. She needed to take her down. Once she was down, the others would fold. Kiara met her wild swing, ducking Faith's blow and landing one of her own to the rib cage. Faith felt fire explode in her side. Before she could lift her head, Kiara swung down on her. Blood burst from her mouth and she spit as she braced herself for the fall.

Screams came from behind her as the other slayers fell under the onslaught. The trap sprung, Faith reached for her phone and hit send. A kick to her already crushed side sent her sliding across the room. Faith pushed herself up and Kiara cocked her head. 

"I know it isn't consoling to hear when you are about to die, but this is what is necessary. The world is out of sync because of your kind. Take heart that your death is meaningful."

Faith smiled, blood seeping through her teeth. "I wouldn't dance your victory dance so fast."

Kiara squinted at the phone in Faith's hand. She returned her smile. "You call your little witch friend? Do you think we didn't know about her?"

"You don't know what you're dealing with. You're fighting for the wrong side."

"I fight for the good, for balance."

Faith shook her head. "Good doesn't torture its enemies or enjoy killing. You're evil and we'll stop you. Willow will stop you if I can't."

Faith saw the hesitation in Kiara. She pressed her lips together and stared at the mayhem.

"You can stop this before Willow does."

"I can't. It's too late."

Faith tried to stand, but her legs betrayed her. She swallowed hard and reached for Kiara. "We can help you. Willow can help you. It doesn't need to be this way."

Kiara tilted her head back. She shook her head. "No. We wanted the witch from the start. We can kill you easily, but her. Well, she can be very useful to putting things back. I mean she is the one responsible."

Kiara was on her, slamming her fist hard into Faith's cheek. Faith's head rebounded off the concrete floor and her world turned dark.

#

Willow stared into the darkness. She considered casting a light spell, but that would give them away. She had to trust the plan. It had been twenty minutes since Faith and the others had entered the complex and still no word. Casting her hand out, she tried to cast a location spell, thinking that the close proximity to Kiara might help. Nothing. It was as if her spell crashed into a brick wall.

Harmony tapped her foot. She kept looking at her phone and sighing. Why had Willow taken her? A buzz came from her phone. The signal from Faith.

"That's it. Converge on her location."

As Harmony repeated the command into her phone, Willow lifted her arms into the air and began the protection incantation. The clouds parted above, growing brighter. She felt the tickle in her stomach. She loved that feeling. The more powerful the spell the more she felt the high of her magic. The light intensified and then she felt a small prick in her neck. Instinctively, she reached up and felt a dart. She yanked it out. Her concentration broken the light collapsed back into darkness. 

"Harm," she said. Her voice sounded distant. Her vision clouded and she saw shadows wrestling in the murky light. She took in a deep breath and spoke a spell. It cleared her head and she felt the power surge inside her. A woman in a business suit with long red hair clamped silver cuffs on her wrists and before Willow could speak, she slapped duct tape across her mouth.

"No more spells for now," said the woman. Her accent was English and it reminded her of Faith's first watcher, Gwendolyn Post. Willow tried to conjure a spell using her mind, but the cloudiness was still swishing around in her head.

The woman tapped the side of her head. "Won't work. Enough of the serum got in to block your power. At least for a while. I knew you wouldn't be completely ready for such an attack, but you are quite gifted."

She twisted her head and examined Willow the way a scientist looked at a lab rat injected with polio. Two men brought a chair and they placed Willow in it, strapping her feet to the legs. She thought of struggling, but she needed to buy time. She needed to concentrate to push the serum out using her antibodies. The serum swirled inside her veins. With time, she could break the cuffs. This woman seemed like a talker.

"Now, I'd like you to speak, but I can't trust that little whore mouth of yours. The places it’s been and all. Disgusting really. But I need you to understand that we have no beef with you and your kind, at least we can tolerate you. It is the slayers that need to go. I think if you could step outside your ego, you could see that they are the problem with the magic. They multiply like rodents from sickness."

Willow narrowed her eyes. The woman smiled widely. She motioned to someone behind Willow. Two men dragged Harmony into view. Her arms were bound behind her back in an unnatural way. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"To show you, we only want the balance returned to the magic world."

She motioned to one of the men and he flashed a silver edged stake and plunged it into Harmony. Willow watched as the horror-stricken face screamed and disintegrated into dust.

The woman wiped her hands together. "You see. We don't want any mutations or an overabundance of vampires. We want balance and with your lack of vision, you have removed one of the top predators while adding a superior one. You changed the natural dynamic and the magic world is upside down and it will destroy us all."

The men picked up the handcuffs and blew the dust from them. Willow felt an ache in her chest.

The woman shook her head. "Don't allow this little demonstration to sway you towards revenge. You've killed before. And you've helped kill vampires just like this one." She kicked the dust. She leaned down, her face inches from Willow.

"My girl is killing your slayers right now. I know they are not all here. I know Buffy is not with you. Help me rid her of this world. It is your penance for what you have done."

One of the men approached and whispered into the woman's ear. She nodded. 

"Your slayers fight well. Too well. But I am pleased with the day's outcome. I wanted more of them dead, but we must go. Kiara is the one and she must be protected, sometimes even from herself. Think about what I've told you. I'll contact you again."

The woman followed the men into a jeep. She paused and turned around. "It was nice to meet you Willow. My name is Cassandra."

#

Screams echoed in the warehouse as Faith got to her feet. She was still woozy and she probably had a concussion. This girl packed a wallop like none she had ever faced. She started into the melee. She blinked hoping that when she refocused the picture would be more pleasant. 

Blood covered the concrete floor. In the spots where it pooled, it looked black. More black flashed as Kiara raced through the group slicing slayers across the back, stabbing them in the throat, the face. The men who helped her were for show. They kept the slayers busy until Kiara made her way to them. There were at least fifteen dead girls on the ground and several of the army men. That meant the word got out and Xander had sent in the reinforcements. But the protective spell was not working. It should have made the slayers invincible and their numbers should have been enough to take down Kiara.

Faith stared at the girl, mesmerized by her ability to kill. It stirred something deep inside her that she did not want to face. It was the blood lust she felt when she killed. She could see it in the girl's face, the determined grin of an agent of death. They were losing. And badly. They needed to go.

A scream formed in Faith's gut and she unleashed it across the mayhem. She bolted for the side door screaming for the slayers to follow. She did not look back. She ran through the door and into the chilly night air. It filled her lungs and her head cleared. She saw Xander and Giles on the hill. Xander held binoculars to his face. Giles paced. She climbed up the hill. The angle was steep, but she clawed at the grass and dirt to pull herself up. When she reached the crest, Xander grasped her hand.

"What the hell is going on?" he yelled. His eyes were dinner plates.

"I should ask you. We're getting killed down there. Willow's protection spell failed."

"I don't understand," said Giles. "We pinpointed the girl. Was she not..."

More girls breached the cliff, screaming as they ran past them in shock. 

"No time to debrief now," said Xander. He pulled his AK47 across his shoulder and began firing at the oncoming men. One girl, Jessica, was at the bottom of the hill when Xander saw a flash pounce on her. A girl with black hair raked her long fingernails across Jessica's back. Blood spurted into the air and the girl plunged her fingers deeper, twisting until Jessica stopped moving. Xander took aim and fired. He hit the girl in the shoulder and she fell backward. Several men crowed on top of her. Xander took aim and fired at them. Two went down immediately. Another grabbed the girl and led her behind a large cargo can. Xander fired again, taking out the soldier before he could take cover.

"She has her own army?" he screamed.

"Let's just go," yelled Faith. She was holding another slayer. It was Jen and her leg was bleeding. 

"Put a tourniquet on her," he said as he flipped his AK back over his shoulder.

"I know," said Faith. Her voice shook with irritation and fear. She had ripped off her belt and tied it around Jen's leg, pulling it tight enough that the girl screamed in agony. Xander lifted her up and carried her to the truck where Giles stood in the doorway yelling for them to hurry.

Faith crashed into the back and fell across the vinyl flooring of the van. Girls cried, some screamed. All she could think was that this Kiara was built to kill slayers.

#

Kiara wriggled on the examination table. They had strapped her down, but they still needed four men to hold her in place while a dwarfish doctor removed the shards of metal lodged in her shoulder. She gritted her teeth and tossed one of the men aside with her rocking. 

"Hold her still," barked the doctor. Kiara glared at him as he dug into her muscle. She thought he looked more like a troll than a dwarf and that he had better run after they let her go.

"Settle down," insisted Dr. Lambourne. "Your reckless nature led to this. Now take your medicine."

Kiara growled and stiffened. Sweat beaded her forehead. After the doctor removed the last piece, they cut her loose. She rubbed her wrists, her head hung down. The doctor sensed her displeasure and scuttled out the door.

"Pouting will do none of us any good," said Dr. Lambourne. Her voice was airy, the words floating in the room like balloons. Kiara shifted her gaze, and Dr. Lambourne's smile that always made her feel warm inside, turned her stomach. She sneered at her and then turned away.

Dr. Lambourne cleared her throat and ordered the soldiers out. The hum of one of the monitors filled the room like an idling car. Blue and white tiles covered the floor and it made Kiara think of the milk cartons they used to bring her. Besides the examining table and the computer, the room was empty. It dawned on her that most of the rooms in her life have been large, but empty. What life she remembers. Dr. Lambourne rolled a round chair over.

"So what is this then?"

Kiara shrugged.

"Are you mad that I chastise you in front of the others? You could have been killed by Xander the incompetent, of all people. If that myopic fool had any kind of aim."

"I lost myself," said Kiara.

Dr. Lambourne folded her arms. "Yes, I understand. There is a sense of pride knowing you are putting the world right. You’re doing good work and there is nothing wrong with reveling in the moment."

"Why do I need to torture them?"

She met Dr. Lambourne's eyes. She looked older to Kiara now as if a shine had worn off her. Her clothes were not bright, but drab against the white walls of the room. She had sparkled before. Now, she was a canvas painting of a farm instead of a Botticelli. Dr. Lambourne narrowed her eyes.

"What did they say to you?"

Kiara feigned ignorance. "Who?"

"Those slayers," the words oozed from her lips and Kiara could see the coffee stains on her teeth, brown and yellow.

"I just want to know the purpose of the torture. You told me the purpose of everything but that."

"It matters little, but fine, I will tell you. Fear must be spread among the ranks to make your job easier. Scared slayers make mistakes. As well as it causes them to congregate in groups for protection." She laughed, but Kiara found little humor in it.

"And lastly, and most importantly, they deserve to suffer. They are the ones responsible for everything that is wrong with this world. They come here and multiply like cockroaches investing every piece of our home and all under the guise of divinity."

"But they fight evil."

"They are evil," said Dr. Lambourne smashing her hand on the computer table. She straightened and composed herself. "Which one got in your head? It couldn't have been the witch. Was Giles with them?"

Kiara looked confused. "I don't know who that is."

Dr. Lambourne waved her hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. You are doing very well. You are good. They are evil."

Kiara lifted her head. "What about you?"

A crooked smile twisted Dr. Lambourne's mouth. "It was Giles wasn't it. He's had it in for me since the beginning."

"It was Faith. She said they were fighting evil and that I was being used to harm the world not help it."

Dr. Lambourne made a tsk tsk sound and clasped her hands together leaning over with a shake of her head. "They are the imbalance. Besides, Faith is nothing but a whore. You saw her. Did you know she's killed humans?"

Kiara shuffled her feet. She could not tell if it was a lie.

"Maybe there's another way to..."

"Death is the way," interrupted Dr. Lambourne. "We kill them and things go back to the way they should be. I know today was hard for you and that she got in your head. But think back to your pack and what happened to them."

Kiara's face tensed. Her hands clenched and unclenched. Dr. Lambourne smiled. "You saw what the slayers did to them. They didn't show them any mercy. They killed them like they were flies at a picnic. Vampires are a simple after thought."

"Stop it."

"They killed them."

"Please."

"And they laughed."

"Stop!"

Kiara dropped to her knees. The sobs rocked her body, her chest felt heavy. She felt Dr. Lambourne's gentle touch on her back.

"Kiara, you were born for a reason. You are the one, the way the slayer used to be the one. You were born from the light as the greatest of all. You are tasked with a terrible mission, that is true, but it is your mission. You alone can set the world right. They will try to trick you with talk of good versus evil. It is all subjective. They claim to be good, but is what they did to your family good?"

Kiara sobbed harder and Dr. Lambourne pulled her close, a sly smile on her lips.

#

Xander collapsed onto the sofa. His back cried out and he let out a sharp inhalation of air.

"I have aches where I didn't think aches were possible."

They had congregated in the large conference room because of all the noise outside. Slayers helping other injured slayers. Broken bones, slashes, concussions. It was like a mash unit. When Giles had suggested they regroup in the conference room, they had all followed him like zombies from the Walking Dead. Faith and Giles stood together at the head of the conference table. They were watching video on a laptop. Willow sat at the opposite end. Xander knew his friend better than anyone did and it scared him. She was on the edge of that dark place. He could see her fighting it. Her nose twitched, but her face stayed silent. Her eyes wavered between normal and darkness. When she felt his stare, she lifted those dark eyes and he felt his stomach sink. Then, she Willow again, her tired smile and that goofy shrug she always gave him when she knew he'd caught her in a lie.

"Casandra," muttered Giles.

"Who?" asked Xander.

Giles frowned and flipped the laptop around. A red haired woman stood at the apex of the hill looking down at the fighting. 

"That's her," said Willow. "She's the one who darted me."

"I still don't understand how that stopped you," said Xander.

"It didn't," snapped Willow. They all turned and her cheeks flushed red. "It just slowed me down. She just wanted me to watch Harmony die."

"Will, you couldn't have done anything," said Xander.

"We were all taken by surprise," added Faith.

Willow frowned. "I know. We were too cocky. I never thought they could be so organized."

"That was one of Cassandra's strengths," said Giles. "Cassandra was a student of Wesley's at one time. I believe they studied in Oxford together. She had a religious background and was planning on being the first female bishop before the Watcher's Council learned of her gifts."

"Ballsy," said Xander.

Giles shuffled uncomfortably. "Yes, quite. She became fascinated with warfare. The Art of War, the writings of Rommel. Initially, the council praised her until she became obsessed with learning the rules so that she could break them. Not something they promote. It was one of her gifts, which drove Wesley to recommend she be reprimanded."

"He always did love his punishment," said Faith with a sneer.

"I know. Wesley was young and he made mistakes. We all make mistakes."

Faith hunched her shoulders.

Giles continued. "When the council punished her, she seemed to take it rather well. She realized that women were a long way from changing the minds of the catholic hierarchy, so she decided to pursue a position as a parish councilor."

"What is that? Like a lawyer?" asked Xander.

Giles nodded. "In a way, yes. She became quite good at helping parishes with their finances and skirting the rules. It also helped her learn how to circumvent systems. She was also, I am told, one of the ones who helped them skate the lines of justice in the child molestation cases."

"Lovely," said Faith. "If I didn't already want to kill her."

"She disappeared when things went bad. There were rumors of her working with demons or rouge vampire covens."

"Now, she's Kiara's master," said Willow. "Do we have any idea how Kiara even came into existence?"

The door swung open. Buffy and Angel looked into the room. Buffy smiled. "We know exactly."

#

Angel sat in the center of the table trying to pour a glass of whiskey. Buffy watched the others stare at him and she wanted to tell them to leave him alone, that he knew what he had become, what they all thought he was. A monster. She wanted to protect him the way she had done in the past and the way he had for her. She touched his hand to steady it. His brown eyes peered through the wrinkles of skin, like a burned child. 

"It's okay. I'll do it."

She poured his drink. Giles eased into the chair next to him. "So, you know how this Kiara came into being."

"I was there."

"In LA?" asked Willow.

Angel sipped his drink and nodded. "Right. When we defeated the Senior Partners there was this blast. It was bright like the sun. It's what burned Spike and I. The beginning of the burn I guess."

"Do you know where Spike is?" asked Xander. Buffy noticed the grimace on his face as he stared at the man he had hated for so many years, the man he was jealous of. He looked moved and pained to see Angel in this state.

"He doesn't know," said Buffy. "He might be gone."

"Like Harmony."

"Harmony?" asked Angel. He snapped his gaze upon Willow. "What about Harmony?"

Willow frowned. "She's dead."

"What?" asked Buffy. "Kiara killed her?"

"No. It was her guide or master whatever."

"Watcher," said Angel. Buffy could hear the clicking of his clenched jaw.

"A former watcher I'm afraid," said Giles.

"There's no end to the destruction the Watcher's Council can do."

Xander scoffed. "I'm not their biggest fan, but let's not forget whose side their on."

"Their own," said Buffy folding her arms.

"This isn't helping," said Willow. "We can sit here and blame each one of us for some horrific deed. Let's focus on stopping Kiara."

Buffy and Xander exchanged a frown. Angel relaxed his posture and downed his drink.

"Angel," said Willow. "You saw her? Kiara?"

He nodded as he tapped the rim of his glass. Xander scoffed and Buffy shot a displeasing glare at him as she refilled the glass. She knew she was pouring depression into Angel. She also knew this was what he needed right now.

Angel took another swallow of whiskey. "She appeared right from the light. It was like seeing a dot on the horizon grow bigger. The heat from the light burned so bad, but I couldn't look away. I didn't even try to shield myself. Part of me thought I was going to be consumed by that light. And I wanted it. I wanted it to take me so that it could be over."

He stared into his glass. The brown liquid swirled in the dusty light. Buffy rubbed his back trying not to put too much pressure on the baked skin underneath his clothes. 

"Did she see you?" asked Giles.

He shook his head. "No, she was in a daze. She walked right past us."

Giles placed his hands on the table. "Did you see anyone else? Anything else."

Angel furrowed his brow. He closed his eyes. "There was an energy all around the light and a whisper."

"A whisper?" asked Faith. Buffy had forgotten she was standing by the door. Her unfamiliar gentle tone sent a twinge of jealousy through Buffy's gut. She pushed it down.

"There was this hum. It filled the air, like when you turn the volume up on something that isn't connected to the outside world. In that sound there was a whisper. It said: She has come."

Giles cleared his throat. "Are you sure it wasn't in your mind? You were in a lot of pain."

"Spike heard it to. It was real. I didn't think about what it meant until Buffy told me about the slayers. She's here to kill them."

"Which is why the only protection is to make the slayer gene go dormant again," said Buffy.

"But how?" asked Faith. "It's not like there's a spell to put the genie back in the bottle."

A cough came from behind them. A diminutive frame hovered in the doorway. His smirk reminded Buffy of his amazing days. "That's not entirely true," said Jonathan.

#

Kiara picked at her food. Spaghetti and meatballs again. She hated pasta. The starchy taste felt like paste on her tongue. Dr. Lambourne had left to meet with the council. Kiara sensed her excitement. Things would be balanced soon and she would face Buffy. The tiny blonde woman did not seem like much. It had been easy breaking her. It was impressive that she had survived and recovered so fast. It would be easy to underestimate her. It was likely one of the things that had helped her this long. She was female and small so everyone assumed she needed protecting. The same as Kiara. 

Kiara dumped her food in the garbage and plopped down on her cot. It squeaked and she twisted so that the coil was not sticking into her side. They had locked her in her room again. As much as they pretended to worship her and praise her, they still treated her like an animal, a pet. Even Dr. Lambourne. But Dr. Lambourne loved her; she knew that. But she never told her what would happen after Buffy was dead. Any time Kiara asked about going on her own, Dr. Lambourne changed the subject. Kiara wanted to trust her. With each day, the erosion of trust whittled down. 

She picked up the ragged copy of The Hunger Games. She'd read it three times. She craved the second book. Dr. Lambourne promised to get it for her, but she never had. When Kiara brought it up, there was a slight beat of hesitation before she agreed to get it. Another ax blow to the trust tree. It made Kiara anxious. It was not a feeling she enjoyed. Like the torture, it bothered her. Flipping through the pages, she came across Peeta's name. Would a boy ever want her the way Peeta wanted Katniss? Would she even have the chance?

There was one guard, Smythe, who brought her food sometimes and changed her sheets. He smiled at her in a way none of the others did. He talked to her in a soothing voice, not short nervous phrases. He even brought her dessert. A big bowl of ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It made her teeth ache and she loved every sweet bite. He treated her like a woman and not an animal or a thing. 

The torture. She kept coming back to the way she killed the slayers. It bothered her. She pretended to enjoy it because that was what Dr. Lambourne wanted. She did not want the slayers to die; she wanted them to suffer. But why? It was irrelevant to the cause. She preached balance at every turn, but Kiara sensed something else. A deeper hurt that hungered for vengeance. She had to put these thoughts out of her head. They would cause her to hesitate at the moment of the kill and Buffy was a wise enough warrior to take full advantage. She needed to be like Katniss. Smart and loyal.

But Katniss had found love.

#

As Jonathan placed the marker down, he saw the skeptical expressions.

"It will work."

He turned back to the white board and reviewed his scribble. He dotted an "i" he had missed and then turned back. 

Giles sauntered up to get a closer look. He chewed on the end of his glasses. "So this incantation mixed with Buffy's blood..."

"And the Orb of Thesulah," added Jonathan.

Giles tilted his head and touched the words written on the whiteboard.

"But aren't those orbs like wicked hard to find?" asked Faith.

"I have three now," said Willow. She was sitting at the end of the conference table, her eyes roaming over the incantation. 

"Planning on a soul party, Will?" asked Buffy.

Willow ignored her. "The third stanza is wrong."

Jonathan looked shocked. He squinted and shook his head. "No, that's right."

"But that's dark magic."

Jonathan shrugged. "Well, it is partially dark magic."

Xander chuckled. "We've had our share of that. No more for me."

"No one asked you," said Willow. She walked over and licked her thumb. She erased some of the words.

"You're already slipping into the dark," said Xander. "I see it in your eyes. You do some crazy spell that Jonathan came up with." He let out an exasperated breath. Buffy watched Willow as she traced her finger across the words. She could feel the power pulsing off her.

"Maybe we should slow down," said Buffy. "I knew Jonathan could help us with the spell, but I don't want to put Willow at risk."

"It's right," said Jonathan as he reached for a marker, but Willow grabbed it and started writing. When she finished, she flipped the marker to Jonathan.

"It's right now." She turned to the others. "This will work. It pulls all the slayer souls and absorbs them into the orb. That should shift all the power back to Buffy and it should destroy Kiara."

"Or at least weaken her," said Jonathan. 

Willow nodded. "Either way, Buffy can kill her."

"What happens to us?" asked Faith.

Willow looked confused. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"She means will it kill the other slayers," said Xander. He threw up his arms. "You don't know anything about this spell."

Willow grinned. "I know it enough."

"Oh great," said Xander. "Giles, can you talk some sense into them?"

"We're out of good choices I'm afraid and this does look like it will work. We should verify it with Vampyr."

"You still have that smelly old book?" asked Buffy.

"Already done," said Jonathan puffing his chest out.

Giles cleared his throat. "Good and yes, I still have my original copy."

Buffy grinned and Giles pinched his lips together and went back to examining the spell.

Xander paced the room, his head shaking back and forth. "Why were you even looking for this?"

Jonathan shifted his gaze to Willow, a confused wrinkle in his forehead. "Well, Willow sent out an all-points bulletin to any sorcerer, magician or scribe who could come up with a spell and when Buffy showed up, I knew I could help."

"She did, huh? When were you going to tell us?" asked Xander.

Willow blew out a long breath. "There isn't time for this."

"Make time."

"I don't need to. I have to consider all options. I run this place and I don't need to answer to anyone."

"I'm not letting you do that spell," said Faith. 

Willow flashed a cold smile at her. "Faith, nothing will happen to you."

"I think you're full of it."

Jonathan stepped between them. "Nothing will happen. You'll just become like you were before."

Faith narrowed her eyes. "You mean weak."

"Normal," said Angel. He did not look up from his drink. "It's what you always wanted, right?"

Faith threw up her hands. "This is crazy." She stormed out.

"She'll be fine," said Angel.

"Oh, really?" said Xander. "You see that in your crystal ball ole crispy one."

"Xander," said Buffy as she pushed him back. "Go take a walk. You need to cool down."

"Before someone does it for you," said Willow.

Buffy did not like her tone and she disliked the evil hint of a smile in her eyes even more.

Xander stared at Buffy. He shook his head. "You could kill all those girls."

Buffy met his glare until he dipped his eyes and went after Faith.

Buffy let out a deep breath. "So what are we waiting for? Let's do this."

#

The knife left a long red streak across Buffy's stomach. She winced as Willow filled a small bowl with her blood. Once she had enough, Willow traced her finger along the wound and it disappeared.

"You can heal now?" asked Buffy.

"Just minor wounds," said Willow. Buffy noticed that darkness in her eyes.

"You sure you can handle this spell? You're not going to wig out on us are you?"

A weak smile crossed her face and she was that shy girl from Sunnydale high who carried her books close to her chest and withstood the verbal barbs of Cordelia Chase.

"Giles is close in case things go wrong."

Giles, with both hands palm down on the conference table, read through the spell for what seemed like the fiftieth time. 

"When you go dark, it's tough to bring you back and I'm not sure we can count on Xander this time around," said Buffy. Both he and Faith and disappeared and were not answering their phones.

"Xander is still a boy in many ways,"" said Willow. "He can't make the tough choices that you and I have to."

Buffy furrowed her brow and nodded. "Ok, but if you go off the reservation this time, I will put you down. So no hard feelings."

Willow grinned as she placed the orb on the small black pedestal. From deep within, a light pulsed. "No hard feelings."

Jonathan entered the room wearing a long purple cloak. A large yellow and purple turban sat low on his head, above his brow. Buffy giggled.

"It's a Sumerian headdress," said Jonathan tugging the hat further down.

"Looks like a Lady Gaga reject," said Buffy.

"Agreed," said Willow. She and Buffy shared a smile. It made Buffy feel better that her fried was still in there. Willow was strong now, stronger than Buffy in many ways, but she was vulnerable to the darkness.

Giles cleared his throat. "It's ready." He slid the spell over to Willow.

Willow let out a deep breath. "You ready Amazing Jonathan?"

A confident grin lit up his face. "Yes, my queen. I am ready to take this journey with you."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Just watch your diction. One wrong syllable and I may end up eating the eyes out of your head."

"Willow!" said Buffy. "Don't be so gross."

"No, she's right," said Giles. "A wrong spoken phrase could turn Willow into a ravenous bird whose instinct would be to go right for the eye of the one closest to her."

Jonathan gulped. Buffy tilted her head. "Talk slowly."

A loud bang rang out in the outer room. Angel raced in and slammed the door shut.

"Faith and the other slayers and coming."

"What?" asked Buffy.

Angel shook his head. "I tried to tell them this was the only way, but they're coming to stop the spell."

A bang shook the door and Angel leaned harder against it. Buffy ran to his side. "Start!" she screamed as the door bulged.

Willow grasped Jonathan's hand and started reciting the spell. The door splintered and Buffy fell backward. As she got to her feet, Faith burst through the door.

"Faith, you need to stop."

Two more slayers piled into the room. A wave of light clasped over the doorway and the rest of the slayers rebounded off it. Giles spoke in an unrecognizable language, his hand thrust forward.

"Let them in Giles," said Faith. "We're not going to let you take our power."

"It's not your power," said Buffy. "It's mine."

Faith squinted at her. "I'm not going to banter with you, B. Stop Willow!" 

The slayers rushed forward. Angel clotheslined one and kicked a chair into another. Buffy squared off against Faith. Faith swung, her anger causing her to swing wildly. Buffy ducked and threw an uppercut into Faith's side, followed by a right cross to her face. Faith crumbled to the ground. Bright light shot from the orb and struck the two other slayers. They both shook, their eyes bleeding. 

"You're killing us," said Faith. She remained on the floor, her eyes half shut.

More light flowed from the orb as Willow's voice bellowed out the words. Jonathan crumbled to the floor, his hand a mangled wreck in Willow's grasp. He tried to scream, but the light sucked the sound from the room. Giles and Angel were flung aside and Buffy watched as the light pierced Faith. It struck her in the forehead and cascaded down like tentacles across her body. She shook and blood dripped from the edge of her mouth.

Buffy turned back and Willow still spoke the words. She was crying. She looked at Buffy and then to Faith. Buffy saw the hesitation in her eyes.

"Willow," screamed Buffy. "Don't stop!"

A final crescendo of light exploded from the orb and then the room went dark. A small light from above flickered and Buffy could hear Faith moaning. The lights flashed back on. Faith hunched over on all fours. Her fingernails were burnt and she wheezed with each breath. Buffy placed a hand on her back. She could smell the tinged hair. Faith shrugged her away.

"Get off me."

"It worked," said Willow. "I thought it was going to kill them."

Buffy shook her head. "Being born a slayer is painful so why wouldn't being unborn be the same."

"You crazy bitch," said Faith. She lifted up, her hands on her thighs as she took deep breaths. "You took our power."

"There has to be balance," said Buffy. 

Faith snorted. "All I know is when Kiara kills you, I won't be accepting any slayer calling. I'm done."

"Faith," said Angel. He smiled weakly. "You still have a purpose. You can still fight for what's right."

Faith stared into Buffy's eyes. "I don't know what that is anymore." She helped one of the other former slayers to her feet. "Let's go. We're unnecessary."

Buffy watched them leave and a twinge of regret spiked in her chest. She had to hurt the few to protect the whole. Each time she made these decisions, it sucked a little bit more of her heart away.

"So, the orb absorbed all the power," said Buffy.

Giles nodded. "It would seem so. Now, the question is do you feel any different?"

Buffy stared at her hands. She brought her fist down and the conference table cracked in two. She smiled.

"I think I'm ready."

#

Xander had watched Faith and the other slayers leave. Angie, one of the younger, but very astute for her age slayers, had her arm wrapped around Faith who shuddered with tears. Xander had never seen Faith so vulnerable. She had been one of the strongest, defiant people he had ever met. Now, a girl young enough to be her daughter consoled her. This was wrong. 

He regretted asking Buffy for help. He should have known it would lead to Angel and then to destruction. Willow and Giles were still blind to her influence. They had taken away their only advantage. It was not as if they were turning the world into a paradise with all the slayers. They were barely making progress. Sure, they had pushed vampires to extinction, but was that a bad thing? All this talk of balance did not make any sense. Good should win. We don't need evil to know what is good. They all thought they were so smart and now all that they had left was Buffy. What had happened to her? Had she been away for so long that she missed the power? She was the oldest slayer and maybe that was what was throwing the balance off. Maybe Buffy was the problem.

Xander watched Buffy and the others leave the facility. He knew they were heading to the warehouse to face Kiara. He slung the rifle over his shoulder. The weight felt good, purposeful. He would follow them, but he was not sure what he was going to do when he got there.

#

When they arrived at the gate to the warehouse, there was a note attached to the chain. 

I'm in the field behind you. Bring your A game this time.

"I guess putting the balance back didn't get rid of her," said Buffy as she ripped the note from the fence.

"Indeed," said Giles. "But it would be wise to assume that she knows something has changed."

"Do you think she's less powerful?"

"No, but if I know Cassandra, she will insist on a fair fight."

Willow scoffed. "She hasn't played fair so far."

"I should go with you," said Angel. He straightened and Buffy knew that while the heart was willing the flesh was weak.

"I have to go alone. You know that." She caressed his cheek. "You've given us the key now let me go lock things up."

"Besides," said Willow. "We need to guard the perimeter just in case this Cassandra is not as fair minded as Giles thinks." She took Buffy's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "You'll get your fair fight. Now go do what you do."

Buffy squeezed back and headed for the field.

"Remember," yelled Giles. "She is trained by a former Watcher. Her tactics will be familiar."

Buffy did not turn back. She raised her arm showing her assent and crossed over the small rise and into the open field.

#

Xander saw Buffy plodding along, her camouflage pants bleeding into the deep yellow grass. She carried a long stake. The area was open and the moon cast a pale glow on the field. She was about fifty yards from where he crouched in the overgrowth by the tree line. A spark of light flashed to his right and he saw Kiara. A white tank top clung to her small frame. Her black hair fell across her shoulders like a black magic marker outline. She flicked a lighter on and off. Xander adjusted the site on his rifle and took aim.

#

Buffy stopped when Kiara appeared. She popped up from the tall grass, flicking a lighter as she walked. When she was about twenty feet away, she stopped. Buffy stared at the flame.

"I'd tell you not to smoke, but you'll be dead soon anyway so light'em up."

Kiara grinned and flipped the lighter closed. 

"You didn't bring any other slayers for me. I was looking forward to torturing each one of them."

There was a difference in her tone. The confidence was gone. Was she scared?

"I don't think they need to worry about you after tonight. I'm just curious if another girl will be called to replace you. I'm still not following the whole anti-slayer thing you've got going."

"I'm the only one."

"That's what I thought until the Master put me under and a parade of slayers started showing up."

Kiara cracked her knuckles and Buffy winced.

"That causes arthritis. Not that you'll have to worry about getting old."

"You talk a lot more than I imagined."

"If I'm boring you, we can get started." Buffy took a step forward and Kiara thrust her hand out. 

"No, wait."

Buffy's shoulders slumped. "I'd like to finish this. The Bachelor is on at nine and I just know he's going to pick Caroline. Such a mistake."

Kiara inched closer, the nails on her hands lengthened. She was ambushing her. Didn't she know who she was fighting? What a noob.

"They're watching us," said Kiara.

"Really. Who is? Your watcher."

Kiara's eyes widened and Buffy nodded. "Yep, know all about her."

Kiara frowned and her shoulders slumped. "I don't want to do this."

"Huh?"

"I know we're supposed to fight and that I'm supposed to torture and then kill you, but now that I'm here and..."

She looked over her shoulder and into the woods. 

"Katniss wouldn't fight you."

"Katniss?" asked Buffy. "Hunger Games Katniss?" As if there is any other.

Kiara faced Buffy and smiled. "You've read it?"

"I have. And not to spoil this for you, but if anyone is Katniss, it's me." Buffy leaned forward. "You're the bad guy. I'm the good guy."

Kiara shook her head violently. "No, I'm bringing balance back to the world. I'm making things right again. Dr. Lambourne said that I am the key."

"Speaking as someone who knew a key personally, you're no key ma'am. Besides, we fixed the slayer surplus."

Kiara rubbed her forehead. She seemed lost in thought. Buffy snapped her fingers. "Hey. I'm the only slayer now. We reversed the spell."

"That's not possible. They all have to die like Dr. Lambourne said."

"She lied to you. I don't know what she wants, but it isn't balance."

Kiara chewed on her bottom lip and Buffy saw the girl inside the monster. Buffy took a step forward.

"Kiara, think about it. Would Katniss torture young girls?"

Kiara's eyes roamed across the forest; her head whipped from side to side.

"We don't have to do this," said Buffy. "If there was an imbalance, it's been corrected. I'm the only slayer now."

"You lie!"

"It's true."

Kiara dipped her chin to her chest and hugged her shoulders. She began muttering, her words unintelligible. Buffy stepped closer, still guarding against an attack.

"Kiara, let's go. Come with me."

"Slayers killed my family."

Her words halted Buffy. "Your family?"

Kiara nodded and dropped to her knees, clutching herself tightly. Buffy kept her distance. Kiara lifted her eyes. She was shivering.

"I didn't have anyone when I was born into this world. I didn't know my place. The vampires took me in. They gave me a home. When the slayers come, they hid me. I watched them die."

Her voice faded and Buffy's mouth dropped open. She knew she needed to comfort this girl. Even though she had done horrible things, she was a misled child and she was alone. The way Buffy had felt for so much of her life.

"Kiara. I know what it's like to lose family. It twists your heart, but you can't let those feelings drive you to what you know is wrong."

"I don't know what to do."

"I do. You've been told the wrong things all your life and you have to live with what you've done. You can do it. Trust me, I know. It's hard and there will be days when the regret fills you until you think you will drown in it. But I'll teach you to swim."

Kiara's watery eyes stared up at Buffy. "But Dr. Lambourne..."

"Come with me," said Buffy "It's not too late for you to do the right thing."

Tears ran down Kiara's cheeks. "I can't. I want to do the right thing. Dr. Lambourne said that the slayers had to die for there to be balance."

"There's always another way. It doesn't have to be murder. That's what lazy people do. Or evil ones."

"I'm not evil! I'm Katniss!"

Kiara charged forward.

Even though Buffy had stayed tensed for Kiara's attack, the speed of the girl shocked her. Long nails scraped across Buffy's shoulder and back. It was only a glancing blow, but it hurt like hell. Buffy whipped her leg around to catch Kiara in the back. Without stopping, she used her momentum to swing another kick that caught Kiara in the jaw. Blood sprayed from the girl's mouth and she fell to her knees. Power surged through Buffy. Clasping her hands together, she came down hard on Kiara's neck. The long grass swallowed the small girl and Buffy reached down and lifted her up by the hair. She sobbed, but Buffy had disappeared into the fight. She wrapped her hands around Kiara's head and before she could break the girl's neck, a cry came from behind her. Cassandra ran at them, hands raised, her words a jumble.

"Stop," yelled Buffy. "I'll break her neck." She twisted Kiara to face the red haired woman. Cassandra slowed and came to a stop, her hands up in submission.

"Don't hurt her. She is our only hope."

Kiara slumped in Buffy's grasp. "Just kill me."

"No," screamed Cassandra. "Please, Ms. Summers. She's just a girl."

"So were the ones she killed for you. You can stop the act now, by the way."

Cassandra looked confused. "What act?"

"You never cared about balance. What do you really want?"

Cassandra glanced at Kiara before focusing on Buffy. She lifted her chin and flipped her hair to the side.

"Your blood."

Buffy felt Kiara tense in her arms. Cassandra smiled slyly.

"You are renewed, yes?"

Buffy felt energy coursing through her veins. She had not felt like this for so long. She was forty now, but she felt stronger than she ever had.

"Your blood holds power," said Cassandra. "Now more than ever. It has been rejuvenated by thousands of slayers."

"So you want my blood."

Cassandra laughed. "Not me. Them."

She motioned to the field and a host of vampires rose. Their eyes gleamed in the night.

"You lied to me," said Kiara. 

"It was necessary, my child. You still have brought the world into balance."

"And the torture. What was that for?" asked Buffy.

"Because they deserved it." Vitriol oozed from Cassandra's lips. "You weep for the dead girls, but you weren't here when Willow and Xander ordered them to kill my family."

A shocked breath slipped through Buffy's mouth and Cassandra looked satisfied. "You didn't know that about your little friends, did you?"

"Willow would never..." Buffy stopped knowing that Willow had done worse things in the past.

Cassandra pushed her shoulders back and stared coldly at Buffy. "My family was innocent. They fed on animals, pig's blood to survive. But your slayers didn't care. There were no distinctions." Her words choked in her throat and she shuddered. "They hid me under the floorboards. My mother pleaded with them, your kind. They laughed at her, mocked her and then beat her. They took their time and I took mine with them."

"You said they hid me," said Kiara. "It was you?"

"When I found you, you were lost. You didn't know who you were or where you came from. But I knew. I recognized what you were as soon as I saw you. You were the chosen my family spoke of."

"You worked for the church," said Buffy. "You know vampires and demons are evil."

Cassandra's eyes widened. "You want to see real evil? Defend the catholic church."

Buffy glanced around. The vampires had closed in and surrounded her. She could not take them all, even with her newfound energy.

"Kiara," said Buffy as she eased her grip. "You want to be Katniss? Then help me." She let her go and Kiara stood, her legs wobbly. She lifted her head and glowered at Cassandra.

"You told me it was ritual," said Kiara. "That I had to make them suffer."

"You did!"

"But for your reasons, not for the good."

"What is good? Are any of us good? We fight for our way of life."

"Your way is not my way."

Kiara charged Cassandra, a guttural cry exploding from her mouth. A long knife appeared in Cassandra's hand. She thrust it forward, catching Kiara in the chest. Kiara raked her long bladed nails across Cassandra's cheeks. Cassandra screamed as she plunged the knife deeper. Blood leaked from Kiara's mouth and she dropped to her knees. Cassandra ripped the knife away and bright light burst from Kiara. It came from her chest, her eyes, mouth. Heat singed the grass. Buffy fell to her stomach, spreading out. The cold ground grew warmer as waves of energy pulsated from Kiara. Screams filled the air. A boom, like a crack of thunder, resonated across the field. Then silence.

Buffy lifted her head above the grass. The edges of each blade were black. Cassandra stood, arms spread out, knife dangling from her hand. A large black circle surrounded her, spreading out to where the circle of vampires had stood. There was not a sign of any of them. The black stretched across the entire field and into the forest. As Buffy stood, she felt a hot pain in her back, like a bad sunburn. With each movement, the fabric rubbed against her skin. She winced, but buried any pain. She faced Cassandra.

Cassandra breathed hard. She wiped the blade absently against her thigh. The red darkened against her green pants. She stared at Buffy. "Look what you made me do, you bitch."

"You destroyed her. Not me."

"You'll pay for what you've done." She started forward. A report echoed in the field. Cassandra stopped, a look of bewilderment on her face. She dropped the knife and clutched her chest. Another shot rang out. Blood sprayed across the grass and Buffy. Cassandra collapsed to the ground.

From the tree line, Buffy saw Xander. He walked methodically, the gun held close to his chest.

#

Giles placed the tea on the table. Buffy twisted her head over the lip of the tub.

"Is it peppermint?"

Giles glanced around the bathroom uneasily. "Uh, yes. How is your back?"

"It still stings, but it's healing up. I can almost lay back." She twisted to see her back in the mirror. The raw red skin had turned pink in some spots. The sight of her still made her grimace. Giles stared at the ceiling.

"I'm wearing a bathing suit you know?"

"I am aware." He opened the door and bumped his head in his haste to leave.

After another half hour of soaking and drinking three more cups of tea, Buffy told Giles she would be out. She rubbed the cream Willow had given her for her back. When she had asked if it was magic cream, Willow had affirmed that it was, just not the kind of magic Buffy thought. It was guaranteed magic by the Neutrogena company. Buffy eased it onto her tender skin. They were all waiting for her. Even Faith. They all had come to her home to help her recover.

"How are you feeling?" asked Willow as Buffy entered the living room. She had been standing by the bathroom door. "Did the cream help?"

Buffy nodded. Giles and Xander sat on her sofa. Jonathan was looking through her bookcase, his hand wrapped in white gauze. Faith punched her heavy bag. Buffy was glad she had found something besides her to punch. Even from here, Buffy could see some of the red skin around her cuticles. Without her slayer blood activated, it was taking longer for her wounds to heal.

Angel got up from her rocking chair. "You should sit down." The reversal spell had not changed him back. His scars remained. He managed a smile.

"I'll stand," said Buffy.

Giles started to stand, but Buffy shooed him down. "I need to say something."

Buffy stared into the eyes of her friends, her family. They had been through so much together and there was more to come. 

"I know that you all don't agree with how I do things." She stared at Faith who remained stoic. Buffy felt her fingers tingle under Faith's stare. She needed to get this out.

"But I'm the slayer and until I die and stay dead, I call the shots. This is my calling, not any of yours." Faith folded her arms and smirked.

"That doesn't mean I don't need you," continued Buffy. "Xander saved me again." A knowing smile filled Xander's face and he puffed his chest out while making eye contact with Angel who chuckled.

"You all are important in the fight and I do believe there is a reason we fight. Maybe it isn't exactly a line drawn between what is good or what is evil, but we all understand that the world needs our protection. We've all lost in this war. I believe for the greater good. I hope you will work with me to keep our world safe."

Buffy pushed her shoulders back and lifted her chin. "I am the slayer. The one slayer. My fight is mine, but with my family, I know we will succeed."

"Huzzah!" yelled Jonathan thrusting his arm into the air.

Buffy gave him a side ward glance. "Really?"

Jonathan fidgeted with his bandage.

Angel stood. "I'm with you to the end. In any way you need."

"Let's not say any way," said Xander. "Don't want you turning all evil, especially considering how pissed your alter ego would be with your appearance."

"Xander, don't be rude," said Willow. She flashed Angel a smile. "I have some new ideas I'd love to try."

Angel shook his head at Xander. "Thanks, Willow."

"I'm going to head out," said Faith. "Gotta get up early for my new job. Right boss?"

Buffy grinned. "You're going to love the kids. I'll walk you out."

Faith gestured her back. "I'm good."

"Are you?" asked Buffy.

Faith glanced at the door and fiddled with the string the dangled from her jacket. "Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

Buffy watched her leave.

"It's my job to watch," said Giles.

Buffy looked over her shoulder at the man who was not like a father, he was her father. He kissed her forehead and she smelled the tobacco on his sports coat. She would chastise about his smoking another time.

Buffy turned back to the window and the outside world. "I'm going to give you plenty to watch."


End file.
